Road-crossing device



PATENTED FEB. 9, 1904.

I. L. SESSIONS.

ROAD CROSSING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 8, 1902.

ND MODEL.

I @Xiliuzaaao %Mw Ravi? 6/ m m .m m w 3 m Z m m w UNITED STATES PatentedFebruary 9, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.-

FRANK L. SESSIONS, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO JOSEPH A. JEFFREY, OFCOLUMBUS, OHIO.

ROAD-CROSSING DEVICE.

SPEGIFIGATION'fOrming part of Letters Patent No. 751,949, dated February9, 1904.

Application filed August 8, 1902.

ticularly adapted for use in mining operations,

excavations, and similar work, where owing to the low altitudes of thelocomotives and cars and the correspondingly low trolley-conductorsprovision must be made so that these;

trolley-wires will notinterfere with the'ordi nary use of the roadwayswhich they must cross and so that thecontinuous operation of thelocomotive will not be interrupted by breaks in the circuit at thesecrossings.

My invention comprises the combination of an electric conductor, atraveling conductor, an auxiliary conductor, means whereby saidtraveling conductor automatically engages with said auxiliary conductor,and means whereby said traveling conductor and auxiliary conductor willautomatically separate when the pressure between them becomes too great.

Figure 1 shows in side elevation a trolleyroad crossing embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the trolley-wheel guide orcasing with one of its side plates detached, showing the trolley-wheelin engagement with the engaging device. Figs. 3 to 6 show details.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the track upon which thelocomotive B and cars B travel at a point where it crosses a road oranother line. The locomotive and cars may be of any known type, sincethis invention may be employed with any type of electric locomotive.

O represents the traveling conductor or trolley-pole, c thetrolley-harp, and c the trolleywheel journaled thereto.

D D represent the vertical standards on opposite sides of the roadway,to which are rigit crosses.

Serial No. 118,932. (No model) idly secured the brackets E, to the lowerD in any suitable manner and at a sufficient.

distance above the track A, so that this portion of the line conductorwill not interfere.

with the ordinary use of the roadway which It will be understood that Ido not limit myself to this method of establishing a continuous electriccircuit between the conductors G G, as numerous methods will suggestthemselves for accomplishing the same r.esultsas, for example, theconductor H may be carried down and electrically connected to the lowerconductor at or above the points g g.

Mounted upon the'conductor-section H is an auxiliary conductor I,movable along the said section, consisting of a frame orsuspension-bracket c', in which are mounted four wheels 2 two above andtwo below the wire, which constitute a guiding device to limit theswinging of the auxiliary conductor in the direction of the movement ofthe traveling conductor and serve also as guards to prevent theauxiliary conductor from leaving the Wire.

Depending from the frame or suspensionbracket is a rod or pole K, at thelower end of which is attached a trolley-wheel guide or casing L. Thisguide or casing consists of aframe Z, having a hole F, for a purpose tobe hereinafter described, and the side plates Z.

.=The trolley-wheel engaging device M, which passes up through thebottom of the frame Z, is pivotally connected to it at m and has one endof the spring N attached to it at n, the other end of the spring beingsecured at n to the ear Z on the frame Z. This spring afiords meanswhereby the engaging device when under excessive pressure will permitthe automatic separation of the traveling and auxiliary conductors.

To insure thorough electric contact between the auxiliary and thetraveling conductors, one end of a copper cable or other suitableflexible electric conductor is electrically connected at 0 to the frameZ, the other end of this conductor passing through and beingelectrically connected to the engaging device M,

as shown at 0. This conductorO is of sufficient length to permit thefree rotation of the engaging device about its pivot. I do not limitmyself to this particular manner of connecting the engaging device inthe electric circuit, as the conductor 0 may be long enough to permitits attachment at any point of the rod K or the suspension-bracket '0'.

P P are guide-bars situated one above the other and supported above thecross-piece e of the bracket E E by the insulators E E These bars serveas guides for the auxiliary conductor to insure that the guides orcasings L will be in proper position to receive the traveling conductorsas they pass the points g 9. Any suitable means may be employed toretain the auxiliary conductor within the guides that was well known atthe time of my inventionas, for instance, by providing one of said barswith a bend or offset adapted to receive the depending pole and hold itin place and to permit its removal under slight pressure. This insuresthat the auxiliary conductor will always be on one side or the other ofthe crossing in readiness to receive the traveling conductor and travelwith it to the opposite side of the road, where the traveling conductoris automatically disengaged and passes onto the low line conductor, theauxiliary conductor remaining in position to again receive the travelingconductor upon its return.

Insulating-handles L may be provided for the auxiliary conductor. In thedrawings such a handle is shown secured in the hole Z of the frame Z.tor to be moved with safety from one side of the crossing to the other,as required.

Although I do not limit myself to this particular construction in thedrawings, the conductors G G are shown as passing up between and bearingagainst the forks of the bars P P, these bars thus serving to preventthe upward-extending strands of the wires G G from lateral displacement.

It will be thus seen that the invention comprises means whereby thetraveling conductor and auxiliary conductor engage with each otherautomatically to cause them to move to? gether, and, further, comprisesmeans whereby the one is held in yielding engagement with the other, sothat in the event of an excess of pressure they will automaticallyseparate.

The trolley-pole C may be maintained in normal working position by anyof the wellknown devices for securing a continuous traveling contactbetween the trolley-wheel and This permits the auxiliary conduc-- theconductor\vireas, for example, the device shown in Fig. 12 of C.Robinsons patent, No. 684,950. In the drawings this device isconventionally shown at 0 What I claim is 1. In an electric railway, thecombination of a traveling conductor, an auxiliary conductor connectedwith a source of electric power and movable with and separable from thetraveling conductor, and an engaging de vice carried by said auxiliaryconductor for uniting said conductors, movable under excess of pressurerelative to said auxiliary conductor to permit the separation of saidconductors, and acting under less pressure to maintain the connection ofsaid conductors during their travel, substantially as set forth.

2. In an electric railway, the combination of a car having a travelingconductor, an auxiliary conductor suspended from a point above the car,connected with a source of electric power and movable with and separablefrom the traveling conductor, and an engaging device carried by saidauxiliary conductor for electrically uniting said conductors, saiddevice being movable under excess of pressure relative to said auxiliaryconductor to permit the separation of said conductors, and acting underless pressure to maintain their connection, substantially as set forth.

3. In an electric railway, the combination of an electric lineconductor, a traveling conductor, an auxiliary conductor separable fromand movable with the traveling conductor, and a yielding engaging devicesupported by said auxiliary conductor and adapted to maintain connectionbetween said conductors until the pressure between them exceeds a fixedamount, substantially as set forth.

4. In an electric railway, the combination of a traveling conductor, anauxiliary conductor separable from and movable with the travelingconductor and adapted to receive and transmit electric power,'and havingan engaging device movable under excess of pressure between saidconductors, and acting to connect and permit the separation of the same,and a spring controlling said engaging device yieldingly, substantiallyas set forth.

5. The combination of a traveling conductor, an auxiliary conductor, anengaging device carried by said auxiliary conductor normally held inplace to cause the engagement of said conductors in either direction ofmovement of the traveling conductor, and movable relative to saidauxiliary conductor under excess of pressure in either direction topermit the separation of said conductors, substantially as set forth.

6. In an electric railway, an auxiliary conductor suspended from andadapted to move along a current-supply conductor, and having a frame orcasing adapted to receive the electric contact device of a travelingconductor on the car, and a spring-controlled engaging de- 7. In anelectric railway, an auxiliary con ductor adapted to move along a lineconductor, and having a frame or casing adapted to receive thetrolley-wheel of a traveling conductor, and a spring-controlled engagingdevice in said casing adapted to be engaged by such Wheel.

8. In an electric railway, the combination of a line conductor having anelevated portion, an auxiliary conductor suspended from and movablealong said elevated portion and a yielding device carried by saidauxiliary conductor adapted to engage the trolley-wheel of a travelingconductor, substantially as set forth.

9. In an electric railway, an auxiliary conductor adapted to move alonga current-supply conductor, said auxiliary conductor having an engagingdevice adapted to engage with the electrical contact device of atraveling conductor on a car, and a casing L, open at its ends forreceiving and guiding said contact device into engagement with saidengaging device on the auxiliary conductor, substantially as set forth.

10. In an electric railway, an auxiliary conductor adapted to move alongthe line conductor and having a spring-controlled engaging deviceadapted to engage with the contact device of the traveling conductor,and a flexible conductor 0 electrically connecting the engaging devicewith the auxiliary conductor.

11. In an electric railway, the combination of the current-supplyconductor having relatively low sections and a relatively high section,a supplemental conductor adapted to move in electrical engagement withsaid elevated section, the car, the vertically-swinging electricalcontact device on the car adapted to move in engagement with therelatively low sections of the current-conductor, means for maintaining.said engagement, and a yielding engaging device on the supplementalconductor adapted to maintain electrical contact between thesupplemental conductor and the contact device on the car until thepressure between them exceeds'a predetermined amount, substantially asset forth.

12. In an electric railway, the combination of the car, the electricalcontact device on the car, the supplemental conductor adapted to movelongitudinally of the electrical-supply conductor, and the pivotedspring-controlled engaging device adapted to electrically connect saidsupplemental conductor with the contact device on the car and to permittheir sepai'ation under excess of pressure between them, substantiallyas set forth.

13. In an electric railway, the combination of the current-supplyconductor having relatively low sections and a relatively high. section,the car, the yielding contact device thereon, an auxiliary conductormovable along the current-supply conductor, and a yielding engagingdevice carried by said auxiliary conductor, and adapted to engage withthe contact device on the car, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK L. sEssIoNs.

Witnessesz C. E. WAxBomv, W. E. BEOB.

